A Hooked Wolf (1)

Chapter 18

A/N: thank you for the 100 votes! Have a great day!

Hook's POV

I have never been able to read the books sitting on Ruby's book shelve, but if I could read anything, it was Ruby and right now, she looked dead. Her skin was the color of paper and her dark hair fell perfectly around her face and down her chest in waves like the sea. The only thing that disturbed her beauty was the blood running down her face. I wiped it away with my thumb.

"Ruby," I whispered in a hoarse voice. "Wake up. Please make up." Tears dropped onto the curve of her lips. "Please." I leaned down and kissed her for the last time.

For a second nothing happened but then...fingers wrapped into my hair and I could feel movement and warmth. I sat up and was met by a pair of bright blue eyes.

"Red."

"Hook," she replied, her hands still around my head.

"How?"

She tried to shrug and winced. "Who knows?"

Ruby's POV

Fire ran through my veins as I flew, no fell, through the darkness. Crying didn't help, I couldn't say a word.

My eyes flew open and my hands fell onto my burning chest. The ceiling was plain. Then it was gone. Thick, white blankets twisted around me from tossing and turning.

"You alright?" It wasn't Hook's voice.

"Will?" I said with a moan, not sitting up to look at him.

"Yep." He wrapped his hand around mine. My hand spasmed and went to his face. Finally, I turned to him. Will looked like I slapped him. "Are you alright?"

"I think so." My hand was still resting on his cheek. "How did you get in?"

"The same way every thief, I broke in." Will looked down at the floor. "Everyone knows you like to keep your window open."

I smiled. "Well you need to go before you're put in jail."

"I know." He stood up and my hand dropped onto the covers. "Goodbye Ruby. Perhaps we'll meet again...another time." Will climbed out of the window and after waving, he was gone.

"She shouldn't be alive, Regina," I could hear behind the door. "The poison on my hook has no cure. I should know."

Hook and Regina stepped into the room, Regina frowning and Hook looking grim. He locked eyes with her, and his hand curled into a fist. Regina coughed.

"So how are you?" She asked.

"Fine." I said but watching Hook. For once he had normal clothes on, save for some on it. He had a plain, white shirt and blue jeans, his hand now shoved in his pocket. His long, leather jacket slung over his back, and he was wearing his pirate boats. Hook swallowed hard when he caught me staring.

"I had to make sure." Regina placed a hand on my forehead. "Hmm. You're warm." Hook crumbled away from me. "What's wrong honey?" She said to Hook dripping venom.

"I...I...can you leave us alone Regina." It wasn't a question.

Regina straightened. "And miss hearing your juicy secrets. I wouldn't dream of it." Hook glared at her but she left anyway.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly and pulled up a chair. I nodded and picked up with hand.

"I'm...okay," I managed to say.

"Regina was right."

"That I'm warm?"

"No."

I blinked quietly. "What was she right about?"

He sighed. "I...I should never have fallen for you...or the other way around. I'm tired of hurting you."

"You don't hurt me," I whispered. "Everyone else does."

"You're way to young to be broken love." Hook kissed my temple and rested his chin on my shoulder. "I don't know if I should stay."

"If you leave, it will be worse."

"I just need to get ahold of myself lov...Ruby." He smiled sadly and stood up. "I love you Red and if anything will get better...it will be your health." I didn't reply as he left the room without a goodbye and I could feel the blood rush out of my face.

I could feel him next to me, waiting quietly. I hated to admit it but I was in love with him, and he would never know. Next to him I felt...human. When he stood to leave, my mind and heart begged him to stay. When he walked off, chills swept over me once again.

I was able to read this book to Killian and I let him read some parts. Now, he would never knew how it ended. The boy left the girl and he found out later she had his baby...and she died. I shuttered against my pillows.

Regina ran in and hugged me. "It's okay." I realized I had been screaming and yelling at the ghost of Hook's presence. "You'll be okay."

I wasn't.

Every time I closed my eyes I could see nothing but nightmares and every time I opened them I was in the hospital, some times even strapped to a bed. That's how I was now. I thrashed against the straps and swore as loud as I could. I felt something pinch me arm painfully. I turned to see Whale, shadows under his eyes and he was thin.

"Trust me," he said. "You look worse."

He picked up a mirror and the girl I saw was defiantly not Ruby Lucas. The circles under my eyes were blue, black, and purple; the color of bruises. You could see every bone in my face. My cheeks, my jaw. Scratches lined my face from doctors and nurses trying to calm me. I growled at him. "What have you done to me?"

"I'm trying to help you," Victor replied.

"This isn't help...it's abuse. You're only killing me not helping." I couldn't hear what he said next, everything was black again.